CALGARY, Alta. — The Alberta government has entered into a public-private partnership (P3) agreement with the Stoney Trail Group to construct the northeast portion of Calgarys planned ring road.

The province signed a 30-year contract with the Stoney Trail Group to design, build, operate and partially finance Stoney Trail from its junction with Deerfoot Trail to 17 Avenue SE. The contract also includes maintenance of Stoney Trail NW from its junction with Deerfoot Trail to 16 Avenue NW.

An advance of $300 million will be issued by the provincial government during construction and then start payments of $21 million per year during the 30 years to Stoney Trail Group once the road opens to traffic.

Construction will begin in April and the road is expected to be open for traffic in October 2009.

“The P3 arrangement allows the road to be finished two years earlier than conventional delivery and represents excellent value for taxpayers,” said Premier Ed Stelmach. “The early completion responds to rapidly increasing traffic in the city and helps government address a priority of managing growth pressures.”

The project will extend Stoney Trail eastward from Deerfoot Trail to 17 Avenue SE and involves construction of 21 kilometres of four and six-lane roadway and 23 bridge structures, including six interchanges.

Mayor Dave Bronconnier offered his support for the Alberta government’s plan to build the northeast section of Calgary’s ring road.

“Deerfoot Trail is the busiest road in Alberta, with over 160,000 vehicle trips a day on some sections,” said Bronconnier. “The northeast section of the Stoney Trail ring road is an essential piece of infrastructure to ease pressure on the Deerfoot and this announcement is excellent news for Calgarians.”

Stoney Trail NE is the second project to use Alberta’s public-private partnership model for highways. The arrangement is being used to build the southeast leg of Edmonton’s ring road, which will open to traffic in October 2007.